HPV Vaccination in Nigeria: Lessons and Recommendations From the Successes of HPV Vaccination in the United States

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and has been implicated in many cancers, including cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is primarily caused by persistent infection of various high-risk HPV types, and HPV vaccination is a vital and cost-effective tool in preventing HPV infections, thereby reducing the burden of cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine was first introduced in the United States in 2006, and since the introduction of HPV vaccines in the US, there has been a significant impact on HPV infections and related conditions. In October of 2023, Nigeria rolled out a national HPV vaccination campaign. Before the Nigerian government's HPV vaccination rollout, the knowledge, uptake, and awareness of HPV vaccines were poor. Although the routine HPV vaccination program has increased awareness, this does not automatically translate to increased uptake. In this paper, we explore the history of HPV vaccination in the United States (U.S.), its effects on cervical cancer incidence and mortality, and barriers to the uptake of the vaccine in the U.S. We also identify barriers to HPV vaccine uptake in Nigeria and make recommendations based on the success of the U.S. campaign to maximize the effectiveness of the current vaccine campaign.